Coelorinchus spinifer Gilbert and Hubbs, 1920

Iwamoto, Tomio, Ho, Hsuan-Ching & Shao, Kwang-Tsao, 2009, Description of a new Coelorinchus (Macrouridae, Gadiformes, Teleostei) from Ta i w a n, with notable new records of grenadiers from the South China Sea, Zootaxa 2326, pp. 39-50 : 47

Coelorinchus spinifer Gilbert and Hubbs, 1920

Fig 4 A–B

Coelorhynchus spinifer Gilbert and Hubbs, 1920:516 –519, fig. 30 (holotype USNM 78226, 185 mm TL; Gulf of Tomini, Celebes; 0°04’S, 121°36’E; 1392 m; Albatross sta. 5607).

Coelorinchus spinifer: Iwamoto in Cohen et al. 1990:138 (listed). Shao et al. 2008:24, table 2 (listed, one spec.; South China Sea, 1098 m)

Material examined. ASIZ P66748 (51.1 HL, 180 TL); South China Sea, 20°44’N, 117°39’E, 1098 m; sta. CD322; 19 Aug 2005.

Counts. 1D II, 11; P i16 /i16; V 8; gillrakers first arch (inner) 2+7, gillrakers second arch (outer/inner) 1+7 / 2+6; scale rows below 1D 8, below midbase 1D 7, below 2D 6; lateral line scales over distance equal to predorsal length ca. 43.

Measurements (in mm, percent HL in parentheses). Snout 26.5 (52); preoral 15.8 (31); internasal width 9.7 (19); interorbital width 12.8 (25); orbit diameter 11.0 (22); suborbital height 6.3 (12); postorbital length 15.3 (30); distance orbit to preopercle 15.5 (30); length upper jaw 11.4 (22); length barbel 2.2 (4); length isthmus to A origin 29.4 (58); length base 1D 6.7 (13); P length 15.4 (30); length V 9.8 (19).

Remarks. This specimen is almost the same size as the holotype (185 mm), and agrees very well with the original description by Gilbert and Hubbs (1920:516–519, fig. 30), although ASIZP 66748 is a juvenile in poor condition. The snout region is damaged and lacks the terminal snout scute and most of the body scales are gone; however, there is enough left to say with a degree of certainty that the two are conspecific. The heavily spinulated character of the scales may be a juvenile feature and may possibly change with size.

Coelorinchus spinifer is one of the deepest-living members of the genus, the holotype having been captured at a depth of 1392 m and the ASIZ specimen at 1098 m. Most species of Coelorinchus occur in depths of less than about 800 m. However, the following 10 species of Coelorinchus are known from captures below 1200 m: C. spinifer , C. acanthiger Barnard, 1925 (800–1270 m), C. amirantensis Iwamoto et al., 2006 (950–1900 m), C. chilensis Gilbert and Thompson in Thompson, 1916 (260–1480 m), C. kaiyomaru Arai and Iwamoto, 1979 (845–1360 m), C. labiatus ( Koehler, 1896) (460–2220 m), C. obscuratus McMillan and Iwamoto, 2008 (1013–1460 m), C. osipullus McMillan and Iwamoto, 2008 (600–1340 m), C. trachycarus Iwamoto et al., 1999 (1015–1234 m), and C. yurii Iwamoto et al., 2006 (800–1900 m).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Coelorinchus spinifer, ASIZP 66748, 51.1 mm HL, South China Sea, dorsal view (above) and lateral view (below), preserved specimen.